Project Overview.
Bramham Hall Park Estate features a grand Grade I Listed Stately House and an expansive historic landscape. Privately owned, it is listed on the English Heritage Register of Parks & Gardens and serves as the venue for the renowned Horse Trials and Leeds Festival each year.
Appointed by JN Bentley as the specialist masonry contractor, Bullen Conservation was selected for its expertise in projects of this nature.
Our scope of work involved restoring the existing cascade and constructing a new stepped cascade within the Parterre panel.
Collaborating closely with the architects and design team, we carefully dismantled the original cascade, uncovering an even earlier, more formal design beneath it. This discovery provided valuable insights into how the cascade should be authentically reinstated.
Through comprehensive dimensional surveys, our highly skilled in-house stonemasons meticulously hand-carved all new ‘Tadcaster’ limestone on-site. The structure was then carefully rebuilt using traditional craftsmanship and hydraulic lime mortar.
To preserve the fountain’s historic character, we salvaged and incorporated as much original stonework as possible, seamlessly blending old and new elements while reinforcing the Parterre wall.
The estate is dedicated to preserving its rich history through ongoing restoration efforts, including the revival of its historic cascade. Once abandoned for three centuries, the original cascade sits prominently in front of the house at Bramham, having been restored to its former glory.
